In the "Ask Linda" columns I answer questions from readers who are uncertain how to proceed correctly under the Rules of Golf. No names are used – all questioners are referred to as Lulu (or Lou, in the case of male writers), in honor of the smart and sassy comic character.
Please send questions from your personal golf experiences to: llmillergolf@gmail.com.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Ask Linda #799-Friendly competition within official tournament

Hi Linda,

Hope you are keeping well.

In a club singles strokes competition playing in groups of
four, one of the groups decides to play a friendly four-ball match during the
competition.

Also they agree in advance to play the match play order of
play from each teeing ground during the round.

What is the ruling please?

Kind regards,

Lou from Ireland

Dear Lou,

I am going to assume that when you say “match” you don’t
mean you are playing under the rules for match play in the middle of a stroke
play competition. That would be a major fiasco, and would lead to
disqualification [Rule 33-1].

I gather that four men playing together in an individual
stroke play competition have decided to make the day a bit more interesting by
breaking into two teams and playing a four-ball (aka “better ball”) stroke play
competition amongst themselves.

I am a bit leery of sanctioning this, as you might become so
involved with your “friendly match” that you inadvertently accrue a penalty in
the individual competition.

You must be very careful to observe only the rules of the
individual competition during play. You may not give advice to one another, and
you may not pick up (obviously). While there is no penalty for playing out of
order in stroke play, a pre-arranged agreement to tee off on every hole in the
order of who won the previous hole in your private competition is a little
dicey. I would not recommend doing so – you might run into a Committee that
feels you are getting an advantage by playing out of turn, which would be
grounds for disqualification [Rule 10-2c].

My recommendation would be to play the tournament straight
up as an individual tournament, following all rules to the letter, and agree
that you will match your cards after the round to see which “team” would have
come out ahead in a four-ball. This will keep you out of trouble.